Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of energy management; and more specifically, to electric vehicle charging station electrical load management.
Background
Electric vehicles (e.g., electric battery powered vehicles, gasoline/electric battery powered hybrid vehicles, etc.) include electricity storage devices that must periodically be recharged. These electric vehicles are often charged at home (e.g., each night when the electric vehicle is finished being used). These electric vehicles can typically be charged using a standard home outlet (e.g., a 120 volt outlet). However, it may take several hours (e.g., eight or more hours) to completely charge an electric vehicle using a standard home outlet.
Electric vehicle charging stations (hereinafter “charging stations”) can be used to charge the electric vehicles at a much faster pace than using a typical standard home outlet (e.g., within a few hours). These charging stations are typically hardwired directly to the power lines that supply electricity to the residence. While these charging stations charge electric vehicles faster than using a standard home outlet, they also cause a greater amount of electric current to be consumed while electric vehicles are charging compared with using a standard home outlet.
Residences have a limited electrical capacity (e.g., 60 Amps, 100 Amps, 200 Amps, etc) that is typically established by the ampacity of incoming service wire(s). For some residences, adding a charging station to the electrical load may cause the main breaker in the residence to trip when multiple electrical devices (e.g., washer, dryer, air conditioner, stove, oven, pool pump, hot water heater, electrical heater, hot tub heater, etc.) are being used at the same time. It is not convenient or economical to upgrade the size of the electrical service provided to a residence since this requires new and/or additional wiring, equipment, and typically requires a service call.